A Christmas Idea for the Gardener--Ironweed Apparel!

Had to Buy What I Am Going to Review!

Well while this post was not in time for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday nor Cyber Monday, I am hoping you go over to Ironweed Apparel and find a holiday gift for the gardener in your life!  You see this company is very close to me for it is run by a local husband and wife team who work in conservation and gardening communications.  The wife, Jessica Walliser was my first horticulture teacher, is now an author of four books and is a host of the Organic Gardeners radio program with Doug Oster among other gardening ventures.  I don't know how she gets it done!

I thought I had better get a shirt so I can tell you that the shirts are very soft.  I ordered a Medium and I usually wear a small, but it fits very nicely.  I think the fabric is called tissue paper.  I am looking forward to wearing it in the garden next season and I am thinking about getting another in a very large size and wearing it as a nightshirt.  They are very comfortable.  They are going to coming out with more designs and other products throughout the coming year.  So sign up for their newsletter and it will clue you in about their next products and you can suggest products that you would like to see in their line on Facebook if you follow them there.  Congrats Jessica and John!  Love my shirt and look forward to buying more products from you in the future.

A gloomy day in the 'Burgh, but warm for the last day of November.  Almost 60 degrees!  Where is this year going!?  Tomorrow starts 31 days of blogging, a giveaway, more Christmas ideas for the herbie or gardener in your life.  You get the idea.  Hope you are having a fabulous day!  Talk to you tomorrow!

Lots Going On, Herbally Speaking and Happy Thanksgiving!

Had a Fun Afternoon Learning About Pittsburgh Area Tea Businesses!

Finished The Gardener by Blackbird Designs for Me!

Took a Tea Blending Class at Rosemary House!

Fresh from the Oven Scones at Sweet Remembrances!

A Beautiful Piece of Embroidery by Bertha Reppert!

Hot Pepper Jelly with Cream Cheese on Whole Wheat with a Parsley Garnish!

Bonnie's Beautiful Table Decoration for the Western PA Unit's Meeting!

One of My Favorites, Alfajores--A Cookie from Peru and Argentina and Other South American Countries!

The time keeps flying by.  So here are some of the highlights since we last spoke.  Our growing season has definitely ended.  We did have a bit of snow on the ground.  Forgot to get a photo!  Bonnie and I have been to the first Pittsburgh Tea Festival.  I think we would say it was a big hit especially discovering all of the tea businesses in the 'Burgh!  I stocked up on a few different chai blends for the winter to come.  Just click on the link above and you will have most if not all of the links for the vendors that were present.  I hopefully will be talking about my favorites as last minute Christmas gifts in the coming days.

I have been already doing my counted cross stitch that I love so much and I have finished The Gardener by Blackbird Designs for me.  I started The Fairy Garden by the same designer, Blackbird Designs.  They also do quilting and rug hooking patterns!  Next Bonnie and I took a short road trip down to The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances in Mechanicsburg.  We took a tea blending class with Susanna on Tuesday night and then had our second afternoon tea of the year with Nancy at Sweet Remembrances Tea Room and I made it a surprise birthday party for Bonnie.  She was definitely surprised!  Please if you are in the Mechanicsburg, PA area, remember to check out the wonderful herbal items that Susanna and The Rosemary House have to offer and have afternoon tea with Nancy every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month!  Now that she is decorated for Christmas, you must go and have tea if you can and then you can check out Rosemary House right next door!

My final activity of the month was attending the local Western PA unit of the Herb Society of America's monthly meeting about South American cooking with an emphasis on Argentina.  Of course, they talked briefly about my favorite, lemon verbena.  Hope to get to discuss the Genus Aloysia in the coming months.  Larger than I thought!  Bonnie was in charge of food and boy, these ladies and gentlemen enjoy good food!  So hope November has been good for you getting plants situated in their new homes for the winter if you live in the northern half of the U.S. and drying others to use for potpourris and teas.

Can't believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States!  A time to be with family and friends!  The Herbal Husband and I met on Thanksgiving 33 years ago!  Seems like yesterday!  We enjoy having our feet up between basting the turkey and watching football.  We are spending the day on our own which is how we like it these days.  Going to have rain for turkey day.  Hope you stay safe and reach your travel destination if family is far away.  Hoping to do 31 days of blogging in December!  Going to be doing a surprise herbal giveaway in the early part of December so you will have it for the holidays!  Will talk to you sooner than later.  Happy Thanksgiving from The Herbal Husband and I!

When A Bit Blue, Make Potpourri and Other Blooming News!

Layering Flowers and Herbs with Paper Towels!

A Whole Box of Herbal Potpourri!

Tiny Hemlock Cones Are Just the Thing for Essential Oil

The Rue Finally Bloomed!

The 'Hot Papaya' Has An Extended Bloom!

Morning Glory Seeds from Chile Are Still Blooming!

The Herbal Husband had a good idea this afternoon.  It was a two fold message!  Clean off your worktable in the basement and make some of your wonderful potpourri in the process.  It will cheer you up!  You see through the summer season, I try to clip herbs and dry them as I go.  We also clip our roses for table bouquets and they land between paper towels.  I had a pile of paper towels and it is like Christmas lifting off the next layer to see what is underneath.  I always find myself saying why didn't I dry more of this and that!  I use hemlock cones to drop some essential oil into the potpourri mix as I give it away. I use two or three at most.  Although it rained overnight, I may try to get some other things clipped before a freeze happens over the weekend.  We really haven't had a good frost yet.  The tomatoes are still growing in the back garden under Reemay!  They are looking a bit done if you ask me, but when it comes to growing stuff, The Herbal Husband is king!

Tomatoes Need to be Picked Before Frost!

So sorry I haven't been such a great blogger at the moment.  I just have been in other directions besides the garden.  And once that jelly burden was over, I just kicked up my heels and did some stitching.  I am just about to finish a piece called The Gardener by Blackbird Designs part of their Garden Club series.  I just have to embellish the hat and add an initial.  The piece is only 4" x 4" so it is very quick to do.

The Gardener

Hope you are having a great day!  It is gray here and maybe will be gray for awhile in the 'Burgh!  I will do my best to finish my England trip and share my favorite herbal Christmas crafts soon!  Oh, and I am going with Bonnie to the first Pittsburgh Tea Festival this Friday, November 11th.  Hopefully, if you are in the Pittsburgh, you can attend too!  Talk to you later.